Not sure if we’ll have any other openings but I saw Reynaude, a 7’ center from Stanford is in the portal. Played with Bal on the French team and with Oboyu needing more development a possibility even though maybe a long shot for us.
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If we are going to get another big man (backfilling for Francisco), let’s make sure it’s someone who actually PLAYS BIG. I’m heavily biased against the majority of Euro-bigs who seem to prefer shooting fadeaway mid-range jump shots instead of banging aggressively at the rim.
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I mostly agree with this. But Reynaud averaged almost 10 boards a game. He’s not a banger, exactly, but plenty competent fighting for the ball under the hoop. Tongue is a banger and McEldon looks like a brick wall. Allen Graves will hopefully arrive unafraid of contact. So we aren’t bereft of fight under the hoop. I would guess that Reynaud is out of range for SCU but you never know if Bal could help convince him. With Kosy exiting, there’s at least a roster spot to be filled though a steady PG still should be the priority.
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as the Mandalorians would say: THIS IS THE WAY
especially given that BK still needs to recover, Benjamin is gone, and Hammond is still young and inexperienced (though he did show some excellent flashes toward the end of this season’s campaign).
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100% agree Buckets.
I hope Tilly adds 5-10lbs of muscle and improves his ‘base’ (ie- lower body strength). But I’m skeptical that he’s going to improve his physicality overnight and turn in to a beast who imposes his will. Strength and weight is part of the equation but so is mentality, toughness, style of play, etc…and changing the later items is easier said than done.
So we need that big physical center to play against the Saxens and Ikes of the world and WCC.
Cam did his best the last few games when Caffaro was out to be that guy but it’s a lot to ask of Cam at 6-7 to guard true 7footers, especially more physical 7footers. When a team has a smallish or not so physical center then fine to match Cam up on him. But Cam’s best role IMO is as a traditional 4.
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EXACTLY
Spot on. Cam was occasionally put in no-win situations, and for the most part he handled it well. Earlier in the season (and earlier on in his SCU career), he had a habit of fouling, mostly due to his desire to play tough and scratch and claw at every opportunity. Later in this season, I saw him become a little more cerebral, backing off a bit if he recognized a no-win situation.
I hope he gets a lot of time in the gym this summer and comes back at an even higher level.
I think you are right. Even if Tilly puts on the muscle, his personality doesn’t appear to fit the role of “imposing beast” in the way that Saxen and Ike do. I’m not saying that is a bad thing, Tilly can be really good off-ball when he is in motion, how many times did we see great lob/alley-oop plays to Tilly? But he’s not the ideal post-up low-block guy unless he is being defended by a 6’7" opponent.
With Caffaro termed out (and frankly not the imposing guy on the offensive side), we have an opening for the banger center role. Maybe McEldon can fill that role. Not sure at 6’9" whether Graves can be that guy.
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Speaking of Graves, good news in the 2024 recruits thread.
Portland’s Juan Sebastian Gorosito entered the transfer portal. That leaves only 4 scholarship players left for the Pilots (plus three incoming frosh commits). The Pilots will need to do a LOT of recruiting in the portal. In addition to Gorosito and Kosy, UOP’s Makai Richards also entered the portal, leaving UOP with 3 scholarship players returning and 0 incoming commits.
By the way, I got a little bored and tried to do the overall math. Using Verbal Commits (which isn’t 100% accurate), there are 17 players in the WCC who are out of eligibility after this season. That number doesn’t include our own Carlos Marshall, Jr, because he was technically a walk-on and not using a scholarship roster spot.
So since there are 9 teams with 13 scholarships each (117 total), there’s a nice round 100 players who could elect to return to their school. As of today, there are approximately 28 players with their names in the portal. So that’s 28% of the conference departing with more exits probably coming from USF (who lost last night), SMC, and Gonzaga once the season finishes and a little dust settles. My guess is that we finish with around 35% of all scholarship players with eligibility remaining in the portal. Yikes!
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And now USD’s Wayne McKinney just entered the portal.
That hurts USD. They have a lot of young talent and could be an up and coming team but they have to retain their talent.
Kind of, sort of interested in McKinney. He’s a bit wild and out of control on O and a mediocre 3pt shooter but he’s an outstanding athlete and gets to the rim well.
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Great to hear that Cam will be back for his senior year. Definitely can imagine it was a difficult decision to make but I think he made the right one!
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oof, that’s gotta hurt Lavin
This highlights the challenge in today’s NIL world and with immediate eligibility even for multiple time transfers.
I respect and commend Lavin’s approach to bring in a big frosh class and hope he can develop and grow with those guys. But it will be an uphill battle. You need some older guys with experience to go with the youth if you expect to have any consistent success. And McKinney and Turner are both experienced upper classmen and two of their top 4 players…the type of guys you need if you expect to build on their decent 2023/24 season.
Lavin is going to have to find an experienced guard or two in the transfer portal, PJ Pipes type guys, or an accomplished JC guy, to provide that seasoned experience because it’s hard to win with a team that is young across the board, especially with a young backcourt.
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Former Bronco and now former Idaho St. Bengals Miguel Tomley entered the portal.
Tomley has had a solid two years Idaho St., full time starter, 2nd or 3rd leading scorer and I believe he set Idaho St’s season record for 3 pointers made.
I suspect he’ll have some interest from some of the better Big Sky and Big West schools (UC Irvine, UCSB, etc.) as well as a WCC school. The just mentioned USD could use him as a first off the bench guard with a green light to launch 3’s and of course Pepp, Pacific and Portland’s rosters are extremely thin and are going to need bodies. A guy like Tomley with one season of eligibility remaining, would help them fill out a roster, buy them time in a rebuild while not committing a scholarship long term.
Femme, so glad to hear Cam is staying on board. You know I like him. He gives this team some badly needed junkyard dog spit and toughness.
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Hawthorne will land in a good spot, I’m sure.
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Agree Buckets. Hawthorne had a solid 2022/23 season but seemed to fall out of favor and lost PT in 2023/24.
He has good length and athleticism, can play the 3 or 4, OK 3pt shooter, etc.
Another WCC school or even Mountain West school could have a spot and role for him.
https://twitter.com/goodmansport/status/1772465844750094667
something a little different in terms of Bronco transfers but nevertheless hurts all the same. I have a strong suspicion a big time program came calling
Really too bad about Heal transferring. Wish we could keep her however if her dream is the WNBA or Australian equivalent you cant blame her. SCU women got zero tv coverage despite a great season. Hard to lose your leading scorer but hope women can continue to improve.
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